arXiv subjects

L. Casparis

Publications and source records attributed to L. Casparis.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Local and Non-local Microwave Impedance of a Three-Terminal Hybrid Device

We report microwave impedance measurements of a superconductor-semiconductor hybrid nanowire device with three terminals (3T). Our technique makes use of transmission line resonators to acquire the nine complex scattering matrix parameters (S-parameters) of the device on fast timescales and across a spectrum of frequencies spanning 0.3 - 7 GHz. Via comparison with dc-transport measurements, we examine the utility of this technique for probing the local and non-local response of 3T devices where capacitive and inductive contributions can play a role. Such measurements require careful interpretation but may be of use in discerning true Majorana zero modes from trivial states arising from disorder.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Magnetic-Field-Compatible Superconducting Transmon Qubit

We present a hybrid semiconductor-based superconducting qubit device which remains coherent at magnetic fields up to 1 T. The qubit transition frequency exhibits periodic oscillations with magnetic field, consistent with interference effects due to the magnetic flux threading the cross section of the proximitized semiconductor nanowire junction. As induced superconductivity revives, additional coherent modes emerge at high magnetic fields, which we attribute to the interaction of the qubit and low-energy Andreev states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

A Parity-Protected Superconductor-Semiconductor Qubit

Coherence of superconducting qubits can be improved by implementing designs that protect the parity of Cooper pairs on superconducting islands. Here, we introduce a parity-protected qubit based on voltage-controlled semiconductor nanowire Josephson junctions, taking advantage of the higher harmonic content in the energy-phase relation of few-channel junctions. A symmetric interferometer formed by two such junctions, gate-tuned into balance and frustrated by a half-quantum of applied flux, yields a cos(2ϕ) Josephson element, reflecting coherent transport of pairs of Cooper pairs. We demonstrate that relaxation of the qubit can be suppressed tenfold by tuning into the protected regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Closing of the Induced Gap in a Hybrid Superconductor-Semiconductor Nanowire

Hybrid superconductor-semiconductor nanowires are predicted to undergo a field-induced phase transition from a trivial to a topological superconductor, marked by the closure and re-opening of the excitation gap, followed by the emergence of Majorana bound states at the nanowire ends. Many local density-of-states measurements have reported signatures of the topological phase, however this interpretation has been challenged by alternative explanations. Here, by measuring nonlocal conductance, we identify the closure of the excitation gap in the bulk of the semiconductor before the emergence of zero-bias peaks. This observation is inconsistent with scenarios where zero-bias peaks occur due to end-states with a trivially gapped bulk, which have been extensively considered in the theoretical and experimental literature. We observe that after the gap closes, nonlocal signals fluctuate strongly and persist irrespective of the presence of local-conductance zero-bias peaks. Thus, our observations are also incompatible with a simple picture of clean topological superconductivity. This work presents a new experimental approach for probing the spatial extent of states in Majorana wires, and reveals the presence of a regime with a continuum of spatially extended states and uncorrelated zero-bias peaks.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Suppressed Charge Dispersion via Resonant Tunneling in a Single-Channel Transmon

We demonstrate strong suppression of charge dispersion in a semiconductor-based transmon qubit across Josephson resonances associated with a quantum dot in the junction. On resonance, dispersion is drastically reduced compared to conventional transmons with corresponding Josephson and charging energies. We develop a model of qubit dispersion for a single-channel resonance, which is in quantitative agreement with experimental data.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

End-to-end correlated subgap states in hybrid nanowires

End-to-end correlated bound states are investigated in superconductor-semiconductor hybrid nanowires at zero magnetic field. Peaks in subgap conductance are independently identified from each wire end, and a cross-correlation function is computed that counts end-to-end coincidences, averaging over thousands of subgap features. Strong correlations in a short, $300~\mathrm{nm}$ device are reduced by a factor of four in a long, $900~\mathrm{nm}$ device. In addition, subgap conductance distributions are investigated, and correlations between the left and right distributions are identified based on their mutual information.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Conductance-matrix symmetries of a three-terminal hybrid device

We present conductance-matrix measurements of a three-terminal superconductor-semiconductor hybrid device consisting of two normal leads and one superconducting lead. Using a symmetry decomposition of the conductance, we find that the antisymmetric components of pairs of local and nonlocal conductances match at energies below the superconducting gap, consistent with expectations based on a non-interacting scattering matrix approach. Further, the local charge character of Andreev bound states is extracted from the symmetry-decomposed conductance data and is found to be similar at both ends of the device and tunable with gate voltage. Finally, we measure the conductance matrix as a function of magnetic field and identify correlated splittings in low-energy features, demonstrating how conductance-matrix measurements can complement traditional tunneling-probe measurements in the search for Majorana zero modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Selective Area Grown Semiconductor-Superconductor Hybrids: A Basis for Topological Networks

We introduce selective area grown hybrid InAs/Al nanowires based on molecular beam epitaxy, allowing arbitrary semiconductor-superconductor networks containing loops and branches. Transport reveals a hard induced gap and unpoisoned 2e-periodic Coulomb blockade, with temperature dependent 1e features in agreement with theory. Coulomb peak spacing in parallel magnetic field displays overshoot, indicating an oscillating discrete near-zero subgap state consistent with device length. Finally, we investigate a loop network, finding strong spin-orbit coupling and a coherence length of several microns. These results demonstrate the potential of this platform for scalable topological networks among other applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Voltage-Controlled Superconducting Quantum Bus

We demonstrate the ability of an epitaxial semiconductor-superconductor nanowire to serve as a field-effect switch to tune a superconducting cavity. Two superconducting gatemon qubits are coupled to the cavity, which acts as a quantum bus. Using a gate voltage to control the superconducting switch yields up to a factor of 8 change in qubit-qubit coupling between the on and off states without detrimental effect on qubit coherence. High-bandwidth operation of the coupling switch on nanosecond timescales degrades qubit coherence.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Evidence for Disorder Induced Delocalization in Graphite

We present electrical transport measurements in natural graphite and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), comparing macroscopic samples with exfoliated, nanofabricated specimens of nanometer thickness. The latter exhibit a very large c-axis resistivity $ρ_c$ -- much larger than expected from simple band theory -- and non-monotonic temperature dependence, similar to macroscopic HOPG, but in stark contrast to macroscopic natural graphite. A recent model of disorder-induced delocalization is consistent with our transport data. Furthermore, Micro-Raman spectroscopy reveals clearly reduced disorder in exfoliated samples and HOPG, as expected within the model -- therefore presenting further evidence for a novel paradigm of electronic transport in graphite.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Anharmonicity of a Gatemon Qubit with a Few-Mode Josephson Junction

Coherent operation of gate-voltage-controlled hybrid transmon qubits (gatemons) based on semiconductor nanowires was recently demonstrated. Here we experimentally investigate the anharmonicity in epitaxial InAs-Al Josephson junctions, a key parameter for their use as a qubit. Anharmonicity is found to be reduced by roughly a factor of two compared to conventional metallic junctions, and dependent on gate voltage. Experimental results are consistent with a theoretical model, indicating that Josephson coupling is mediated by a small number of highly transmitting modes in the semiconductor junction.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Gatemon Benchmarking and Two-Qubit Operation

Recent experiments have demonstrated superconducting transmon qubits with semiconductor nanowire Josephson junctions. These hybrid gatemon qubits utilize field effect tunability characteristic for semiconductors to allow complete qubit control using gate voltages, potentially a technological advantage over conventional flux-controlled transmons. Here, we present experiments with a two-qubit gatemon circuit. We characterize qubit coherence and stability and use randomized benchmarking to demonstrate single-qubit gate errors below 0.7% for all gates, including voltage-controlled $Z$ rotations. We show coherent capacitive coupling between two gatemons and coherent swap operations. Finally, we perform a two-qubit controlled-phase gate with an estimated fidelity of 91%, demonstrating the potential of gatemon qubits for building scalable quantum processors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Tunnel-Junction Thermometry Down to Millikelvin Temperatures

We present a simple on-chip electronic thermometer with the potential to operate down to 1 mK. It is based on transport through a single normal-metal - superconductor tunnel junction with rapidly widening leads. The current through the junction is determined by the temperature of the normal electrode that is efficiently thermalized to the phonon bath, and it is virtually insensitive to the temperature of the superconductor, even when the latter is relatively far from equilibrium. We demonstrate here the operation of the device down to 7 mK and present a systematic thermal analysis.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

GaAs Quantum Dot Thermometry Using Direct Transport and Charge Sensing

We present measurements of the electron temperature using gate defined quantum dots formed in a GaAs 2D electron gas in both direct transport and charge sensing mode. Decent agreement with the refrigerator temperature was observed over a broad range of temperatures down to 10 mK. Upon cooling nuclear demagnetization stages integrated into the sample wires below 1 mK, the device electron temperature saturates, remaining close to 10 mK. The extreme sensitivity of the thermometer to its environment as well as electronic noise complicates temperature measurements but could potentially provide further insight into the device characteristics. We discuss thermal coupling mechanisms, address possible reasons for the temperature saturation and delineate the prospects of further reducing the device electron temperature.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Metallic Coulomb Blockade Thermometry down to 10 mK and below

We present an improved nuclear refrigerator reaching 0.3 mK, aimed at microkelvin nanoelectronic experiments, and use it to investigate metallic Coulomb blockade thermometers (CBTs) with various resistances R. The high-R devices cool to slightly lower T, consistent with better isolation from the noise environment, and exhibit electron-phonon cooling ~ T^5 and a residual heat-leak of 40 aW. In contrast, the low-R CBTs display cooling with a clearly weaker T-dependence, deviating from the electronphonon mechanism. The CBTs agree excellently with the refrigerator temperature above 20 mK and reach a minimum-T of 7.5 +/- 0.2 mK.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗